Pool on course for a place in history

Reaching the play-offs last season was a big achievement for the club, but this campaign promises just as much, if not more.

Many - and boss Neale Cooper was one of them - felt that Pool overachieved last season, making the play-offs in their first season after promotion from the bottom division. But they are now proving that going so close in the end of season knock-out last time out was no flash in the pan.

Pool, unbeaten at home in 18 games this season, meet Bristol City at Victoria Park today nicely placed in fifth spot in League One.

City are one place and two points below Pool and, with a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup in the bag after Wednesday's single goal victory at Boston, Pool are again aiming to rewrite the record books.

The club has never gone beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup, nor finished higher than sixth in their current division.

They are currently nine games unbeaten and face Brentford with a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup up for grabs next week.

For skipper Ritchie Humphreys - an ever present this season - Pool's campaign is well on target.

He said: "The season is going the right way for us, the way we all wanted it to go when we were in September, October and November.

"We've steadily built up from the start and are in a strong position. We all know how our away form was going, but it's been turned around now.

"I don't know what you can put it down to, it's just one of those things that happens in football.

"We have gone from not being able to avoid losing, to not losing. Sometimes you get a run of results and that was a run of bad results, now it's a run of good results.

"We were unlucky in certain games during that period - Brentford was one of them - and the important thing now is that we are not conceding goals either.

"This run is going well and we don't want it to end, when you are winning games like we are it's a great feeling.

"We are in the fourth round of the FA Cup which is tremendous for everyone. OK, so it's not a glamour tie, but we see it as an opportunity to progress. It's against a team from our division, who we have played this season.

"Brentford are a good side and are at home, but if we can come through it we would be in the last 16 and that would be a great achievement.

"The club has never been that far before so there is something for us to aim for.''

Pool lost out to The Robins in last season's play-offs and lost to a Brian Tinnion wonder strike in the league game at Victoria Park.

But they played out a goalless draw at Ashton Gate less than four weeks ago, an important result which helped put the club's miserable away form to bed.

After losing eight successive League One games away from home, Pool have now not lost in four on the road and Humphreys said: "Now we've got Bristol City and it's another team we have played quite recently.

"We went to Ashton Gate and kept a clean sheet, which, as the away team, is the aim. Obviously, this time the onus is on us to attack and take the game to them.

"But we've done that to plenty of teams this season and we want to keep this run going.

"The season is going fantastically well, but we don't want to get carried away. We are well placed in the table and still in the FA Cup.''

Humphreys, skipper in the absence of Micky Barron, added: "I really don't think that there are a couple of teams who are going to run away with the league this season like QPR and Plymouth did last season.

"It's a hard division and there's a lot of teams who have improved and got stronger which is why there is a lot of teams pushing for the top few places.

"But we will keep going and try to keep ourselves in contention.

"We are actually better off points wise than we were at the same stage last season which is a good achievement. We can take confidence from that.''

Bristol City boss Brian Tinnion had Pool watched at Boston and, after his side flew to the North-East yesterday, said: "We had a scout there and I understand Hartlepool rode their luck to win by the only goal.

"They were under a fair bit of pressure so it may have taken a bit out of them. We will be going there to win - I've had too many draws already. Hartlepool came to Ashton Gate and put ten men behind the ball, but they won't be able to do that as the home side.''

* Tickets are on sale for next Saturday's FA Cup tie at Griffin Park. Season ticket holders have until Tuesday before they go on general sale.

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